Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Episode 7.8: Sleeper. Original Airdate 11.19.02"The Scooby Gang fear Spike may have turned evil again when people begin mysteriously disappearing around town."

Zelda's Thoughts:

Yeah I'm just going to call my shenanigan now before the episode starts. I think they misnamed this episode and the next one. This episode is called "Sleeper," and yet the concept of Spike being a sleeper agent isn't named until the next episode, "Never Leave Me." MEANWHILE, this is the episode where Spike is humming "Early One Morning" song (which contains the lyric "Never leave me") to himself, NOT the next episode. This ep shoulda been "Never Leave Me," and next ep shoulda been "Sleeper." Someone done fucked up.

Okay so I checked the shooting script - they originally intended the song he's humming to be "I'll Be Seeing You." I'm still pissed though. Whichever song it is should have dictated this episode's title, not the next. They even have The First saying "I'll be seeing you" to a retreating Spike, instead of "How could you use a poor maiden so?" My argument stands.

All righty, this episode is the same night, but later, 4:30 am. So today is November 13th. JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND, PEOPLE.

Spike's kind of a terrible hummer y'all.

BUT IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING, HE'S HUMMING THE SONG. Ohhh don't deceive me, oh never leave me, how could you use a poor maiden so. As he buries his latest kill.

London! Where's Giles?

Oh right, this dude.

The Bringers are back! And they killed a potential.

Awkward scene is awkward.

Unless Spike is completely passed out, I'm sure he'd be able to hear all of Xander's and Anya's conversation in the living room. They're not exactly modifying their volume.

"Before that, the lies were very convincing. It just seems real." Man, remember back when we thought The First was an awesome villain? It was because of stuff like this, the terrifying skill of manipulation, where it didn't NEED to be corporeal when it could just manipulate whoever it wanted to do whatever it wanted, punch people in the hearts and watch them bleed.

Spike's "closet room" is definitely bigger than some New York apartments.

Spike still sleeps naked, for anyone who was wondering about that.

"Anya, do be specific and tell a fella just exactly what you're doing here." JM is good at toeing the line with his delivery and presence this ep, whether he's gone evil or not. SEE, WRITERS? YOU CAN LET YOUR ACTORS IN ON THE GAME AND THEY CAN STILL DELIVER. *growls at S6*

"Ridiculous, the 'do's quite fetching." This scene is so bizarre but it has some gems in it. "All I'm saying is soulless Spike would have had me upside down and halfway to Happy Land by now."

Aw landlines, you guys, remember landlines?

None of these exteriors look like the Sunnydale we know and love. Headcanon that we're one town over.

I LOVE THE TOUCH of the harmonica guy picking up the "Early One Morning" melody (The First has great influence, yo), which triggers Spike into prowl mode.

Good fakeout, we think it's Buffy approaching Spike with the woman in the alley. His complete surprise when he sees her contributes to that. "You know you want it. You know I want you to." but NOPE IT'S THE FIRST. And then it shifts to Spike's visage JUST TO MAKE SURE WE KNOW OUR BUFFY ISN'T EVIL. And as Spike, it recites a lyric from "Early One Morning," which - honestly? I wouldn't have recognized the song from how Spike was humming it. This episode needed to be named "Never Leave Me." I think I need to go channel Xander and blame a wall.

"Did you kill that girl last night?" Okay it is now November 14th, for those keeping score at home.

Watch, after all my fits, the timeline actually play out. But right now I'm convinced it won't.

"This chip, they did to me. I couldn't help it. The soul I got on my own."

"Cuz god help me, Buffy, it's still all about you." my shipper heart!

Seeeeeeeee Xander, Spike's chip is still active! ... sometimes. Just not when he's been sleeper activated. Or when it's Buffy.

Hi Aimee Mann.

HI COVERT VAMPIRE. Let's fight.

"One bite stand." I need to go blame the wall for that line, too. Somehow the dorky puns are only acceptable when Buffy delivers them.

It is kind of hilarious, that everyone pauses when the vamp goes over the edge and dusts, then - back to the song.

"Man, I hate playing vampire towns." I'm blaming a lot of walls today.

*eye roll*

You shouldn't have done that. It's not time yet. Not nearly. You're going against the plan. But we can make it work." THE AMOUNT OF TIME I SPENT PARSING THIS LINE FOR MEANING DURING THE ORIGINAL AIRING. Back when we thought The First actually had any semblance of a coherent plan. Back when we had hope for Season Seven.

oh look we're singing the song again. YOU KNOW THE SONG. THAT THIS EPISODE IS NOT NAMED FOR. I'm sorry, it's just ... so dumb. And so easy to fix.

JM is such a good actor, I love how he plays the scene. She walks up to him with the stake. He opens himself, prepares, "Do it fast, okay? He said you'd do it."

"I can't cry this soul out of me. It won't come."

"There's something playing with us. All of us." // "What is it? Why is it doing this to me?" because it's impotent.

"Help me? Can you help me?" // "I'll help you."

GILES IS HERE! TIME TO GET YOUR HEAD CUT OFF, GILES.

oops.

Man, this was such serious trolling. If he had been killed, it was trolling of "Giles is back! And he died instantly." And he's not killed but THEY TROLLED US SO HARD WITH THINKING HE WAS DEAD AND FUCK YOU WRITERS.

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

"Buffy has a conversation with a vampire who once went to Sunnydale High, and learns something interesting about Spike. Joyce materializes to Dawn in the living room. The ghost of Cassie brings a message to Willow from beyond the grave. Meanwhile, Andrew and Jonathan have returned to Sunnydale on a mission to save the town."

Daniel's Thoughts:

I’m not as big on this episode as most people are. I think in concept, it’s great. I think in execution, not so much. And I have other random problems with it.

I like, first of all, that everyone is separated and has their own storylines that all connect.

I dislike the absence of Anya (and Xander). I realize they were cut for time, but I think it would have wrapped this whole episode up better. More on that later.

“Here we go,” being the only line before the opening credits is pretty powerful. It’s also reminiscent of Buffy’s “Going through the motions” and is she back at that point? Is she starting to get depressed again?

Andrew & Jonathan. I hate that bugger. Andrew, not Jonathan. Another reason why I kinda hate this episode. It’s the beginning of the end. It reintroduces Andrew and makes Spike the focal point of the season.

Dawn playing with weapons. This will not end well. Has anyone seen Miss Kitty Fantastico around?

I kinda like Dawn listening and dancing around to mariachi music, though.

And this is the worst part: Cassie Newton. I love Cassie and I loved her episode. But Willow never actually met Cassie. She should have either haunted Buffy or completely dismissed this story line since they couldn’t get Amber/Tara to come back. The First, an all powerful being who can disguise themselves as anything should have been Tara or no one else.

Nope, not Tara. Sorry Willow.

Dawn’s story is clearly the scariest. It’s right out of a haunted house movie but it doesn’t really fit the rest of the narrative.

Axing the TV/stereo, Dawn? Is that really the way to deal with this? Buffy gave you a cell phone. Use it.

Jonathan M. Woodward. Tom Lenk, who played Andrew, did commentary on this episode. My favorite story is that he met Jonathan and told him he liked his work in this episode and JMW said something like, “It’s always nice to meet a fan.” Clearly did not actually see the episode he was in…or remember Andrew.

Yay! Scott Hope came out! I love the reference.

Yay, Dawn listened to me and tried to call Buffy.

OMG, Joyce dead on the couch.

And can the First do all this? This is the first (and last?) time we see any evidence of being able to manipulate the outside world with anything other than being able to appear as people. It's yet another inconsistency of the First. [I think I headcanoned that something was planted there, akin to the talisman in Sunnydale High in "Lessons" - Z]

And Dawn does, the “ Mom….? Mom…? Mommy….?” Thing that Buffy did in The Body.

Andrew: “Then we join her gang and possibly hang out at her house…” UGH, because that happens. Fucking Andrew.

Xander and Anya should have been in this episode. Xander with Jessie and Anya with Halfrek. Ok, ok, Jessie is a long shot considering they haven’t mentioned him since he died. (thought it would have been amazing if they could have gotten him. ) But man, Halfrek JUST DIED. They could have easily gotten her back. Imagine the guilt she could have made Anya suffer from.

“Is it because we’re gonna fight?” “It’s because I’m gonna win”. Ugh. That line just gives me chills.

Oh hey, Willow acknowledged that she destroyed the Magic Box. Not to Anya…

Poor Jonathan. I wish it was he who survived and joined the gang; not Andrew. He’s the only one of the three that’s worthy of some sort of redemption.

So The First can slash people now? Why doesn’t it just kill her? As much as I like Dawn’s storyline this episode, I’m calling SHENANIGANS on the whole thing.

Wow, go Dawn! Kinda. I mean, I assume it’s the First making her thing she’s defeated whatever entity is supposed to be there.

Hey! Giles mentioned!

The direction in the Willow s/l is a bit strange. Willow and Cassie just sit across from each other the entire time.

Overall: Dawn’s storyline is the scariest. Buffy’s is the best written/funniest. Willow’s is the absolute lamest. Andrew/Jonathan’s is just…really, moving the story along and Spike seems to be the center of it all, so fuck that – but at least he never speaks. And Xander/Anya’s are non-existant.

So reading the trivia, Eric Balfour and Kali Rocha were unavailable….and Amber didn’t want to come back as villain. Screw Amber for that. It made Willow’s scenes very unsatisfying. I don’t know if I believe that they ever tried to get Eric Balfour since they never mention Jesse after the second episode of the series but I sorta believe it about Kali Rocha. [Confirmed, she was in a play in NY and they had to fly her out and film all her scenes in "Lessons" and "Selfless" in one day - Z] Again, I think it was a great concept and they did what they could…I just wish it was better. It could have been so much better.

Zelda's Thoughts:

Yessssssssssssssss I love this episode let's do it!

Debating if I should call a preemptive shenanigan - This datestamp will proceed to fuck up the timeline for the rest of the season, when episodes follow each other immediately sequentially and in two days it's Christmas. I think I'll wait til Buffy and Giles actually declare it to be Christmas to call the shenanigan, but just know that it'll be percolating.

That being said, this is a cool opener, showing us immediately that we're taking a sideways step, in a way - that this will be structurally different. We have the title, which we never do, we have the date stamp, we have the pretty song playing as we see our various Scoobies in isolation, waiting for the plot to happen to them.

Jonathan: "Last time we were here, 33.3bar percent of us were flayed alive." Me:

So wait wait WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT. Why are Jonathan and Andrew having the "from beneath you, it devours" dreams? THEY ARE NOT SLAYERS. PROPHECY DREAMS ARE SLAYER TERRITORY. Shenanigans. (I can see the easily-manipulated Andrew having First-influenced dreams, but Jonathan?)

Dawn's song about anchovies is 100% because Jane Espenson likes anchovies and wants to punish the rest of us.

God, the music Dawn listens to - if it's not the same music Buffy listened to to drown out Joyce's scary crazy ramblings in the Queller episode, it's at least meant to evoke it, and it HURTS. JOYCE.

AZURA SKYE IS BACK YAY.

If you haven't, I highly recommend checking out the shooting script for this episode. I love Azura Skye and I'm glad she's back, but I have to agree with Daniel, it doesn't make much sense that Cassie would come to Willow. Everyone else, when they're visited by The First, it's in the guise of someone they love deeply, who can make them instantly vulnerable. Cassie is not that person to Willow. So check out the shooting script, when it was written for Tara. And then cry forever.

(acting wise, I do prefer Cassie over Tara, but storywise, shoulda been Tara)

man, poor Dawn. classic horror movie stuff

It's so adorable the vampire recognizes Buffy from school, to the degree that I wonder why it doesn't happen more often. Also sidebar what if they had gotten one of their regular extras to do this scene?

GOD WHEN THE RADIO SAYS "DAWN" AND WE ALL RECOGNIZE JOYCE'S VOICE INSTANTLY.

Jonathan M. Woodward is just so fantastic in this role. I can see why Joss hat-tricked him into his other shows. He has kind of a Tom Hanks charm with very good Whedon delivery

Aw Buffy finally has a cell phone and has of course dropped it where she can't hear it. I'm glad writers have finally figured out how to incorporate phones into their narratives without having to quickly write them out, like they did back in this era.

"Mother's milk is red today." THE FIRST IS REALLY EVIL YOU GUYS.

No but the shot of Joyce suddenly appearing on the couch, this shit hurts so much.

Dawn's little smile of hope when she thinks the presence is her mom. IT ALL HURTS, ARE YOU HAPPY, WRITERS?

"Then we join her gang and possibly hang out at her house." Ah, back when Tom Lenk hadn't quite outstayed his welcome with me yet.

And Danny Strong <3 I adore him

Check check check check check check check check

GASP WARREN.

Man, if you were watching this and hadn't guessed yet that it was The First, I can see freaking the fuck out when Warren rounds the corner.

"You keep leaving me, I hate it when you leave me. One time you died and I ended up a Mexican."

"No, I was just going with it. It was a thing. No, he's our last hope." Adam Busch is funny even if Warren is one of my least favorite characters to appear on the show.

"You killed people. You can't see her. That's just how it is." I bought the rationale at the time, and was willing to go with it. It's just on these later rewatches that I feel the forcedness, of getting around not having Tara. It helps a lot that Azura Skye and Alyson Hannigan are doing fantastic work.

Oh right, Spike. In the episode where he TRULY doesn't speak.

I love Buffy's shrink session with Holden Webster, complete with a stone couch for her to lie on.

Okay, so if I remember the breakdown correctly, Jane Espenson wrote Dawn's stuff, Drew Goddard wrote the Trio, Joss wrote Buffy and Webs, and Marti Noxon wrote Willow's stuff?

Ah, there's the Gnarl costume painted black, strangling Joyce's corpse! (this is uncredited but I have to assume this is Camden Toy again)

YEAH DAWN. "No. She's my mother. I'm staying."

"Okay, but are you killing me cuz I'm evil, or because you opened up?"

"Well, you know, not my god because I defy him and all his works. Does he exist? Is there a word on that, by the way?" God I love this banter.

"A lot of people grieve, they don't make with the flaying." It actually is really great to see how far our characters have come, illustrated in these stories. Dawn is so much more mature, doing the research even when terrified, solving the problem, fighting the evil. Willow has a much better grasp on her relationship with power and magic, and while she's still vulnerable, she's miles better than last season. Jonathan's reached a state of peace about his high school angst, and wants to help save the world. Andrew's still a shit. Oh. Spike still has a thing for blondes. And Buffy is ever-processing, sensing that there is always something separating her - the arc that will continue to be explored this season, the isolation of The Slayer. But she still gets to talk through some of her feels and issues with an impartial evil fiend. Like ya do.

Yep, the potted tree is completely dead. This was something that kept getting brought up in the fan forums, regarding whether or not the presence of Joyce in the house was actually her or The First manipulating Dawn. I come down fully on the side of it being The First, and the dead plant is a good piece of evidence for that. Especially considering her message for Dawn is meant to separate Buffy still more from her friends/family, just like Cassie's message is to disable Willow as a magical ally. So. It's not Joyce. Poor Dawn.

Back to Buffy having an epiphany.

"And so you can't win. And I thought I was diabolical - or at least I plan to be. You do have a superiority complex. And you've got an inferiority complex about it. Kudos."

"But Buffy, everybody feels alone. Everybody is. Until you die." Webs isn't The First, though. He's just a vamp. I mean, he's a result of The First, because he was sired by Spike while Spike was under the sleeper trigger of The First, but he's still a killable corporeal thing.

YEAH DAWN YOU CAST OUT THAT EVIL.

Geez the house is trashed. More work for Xander.

NO JOYCE IN THE LOVELY WARM LIGHT WHY DO YOU MAKE US HURT. Poor Dawn.

I'm so proud of Willow for realizing, as soon as Cassie suggests suicide, that SOME EVIL SHIT IS AFOOT. "Who are you?"

"I love you and I love Buffy. But she won't be there. When it's bad, Buffy won't choose you. She'll be against you." The chatty forums also debated on if there was some hidden truths beneath the manipulations of The First's proclamations. I don't think this one played out.

Aw poor Jonathan. I like the moment when his eyes briefly focus on Warren.

And back to our opening song, as each story ends - Willow facing evil, Dawn in rubble, Jonathan bleeding out, Spike having drained an innocent, and Buffy staring into the cloud of dust that was Holden Webster.

Favorite Lines:

Daniel: Holden: ...you just don't seem as thrilled. Is it because we're gonna fight?

Buffy: It's because I'm gonna win

Zelda: "You keep leaving me, I hate it when you leave me. One time you died and I ended up a Mexican." - Andrew. I don't know why I love the absurdity but I do

Arc/Continuity Stuff:

Recurring: Andrew, Jonathan, the First (as Cassie, Joyce, Warren), The Bronze, from beneath you it devours (and other translations), insane troll logic

The only episode to receive an explicit datestamp - the date it aired, November 12

Dawn gets pizza sauce on one of Buffy's blouses

The plant that she moves to cover the hole/ in the wall dies during the episode - one of the symptoms of The First taking up residence (as exposited in Amends)

Shoutouts to when Buffy wore crosses, dated that really old guy named Angel, and Scott Hope

Shoutout to "strong like an Amazon" in the episode that broke us all

Shoutout to when Buffy and the Trio couldn't figure out the plural of nemesis

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

"Dawn's simple crush on Sunnydale High's star quarterback RJ starts to become obsessive, leading Buffy to investigate the boy herself. When Buffy, along with all the other women who see RJ, also fall in love with him [your grammar is a mess, imdb], Spike and Xander must team up to discover the source of this attraction. But first they have to keep the women from doing anything crazy in their competition for RJ's affection."

Zelda's Thoughts:

This episode - which I largely don't like, for a variety of reasons - features one of my favorite non-verbal sequences in the entire series. See gifs below. So I'm holding out for Buffy and the rocket launcher.

Aaaaaand Spike is staying in the magical didn't-exist-before room in Xander's apartment.

Also Buffy has weird wispy bangs.

At least Buffy is a - communicating with the Scoobies, yay, and b - getting Spike out of the basement.

I forgot Spike actually spoke this episode.

Dawn calling out the ridiculousness of the Scoobies. Once again, Dawn is my favorite right now WHY. (Xander already had a soul when he stood Anya up, etc.)

Oh look time for me to start hating the episode. RJ showed up.

Hatred aspect #1 comes from the extremely squirmingly uncomfortable second hand embarrassment I feel for Dawn in the first half of the episode (especially the cheerleading routine). I have literally no desire to ever watch those scenes again, but I'm doing it. FOR YOU.

The length of Buffy's bangs are changing scene to scene and it's confusing me.

"Willow's not very good with the practical strategizing - except when she's evil. And Dawn, she's not really good for anything." The amount that I adored this line on initial airing tells me that my newfound love for Dawn is a result of this watching - I still hated her when this season was airing.

OMG IT'S THE GIRL FROM GARFUNKEL AND OATES I FORGOT SHE WAS IN THIS DID I KNOW SHE WAS IN THIS.

The letterman jacket being the magical thing that makes women fall in love with the wearer is another adorable throwback to the early seasons' high school metaphors.

Also the fact that Xander (jokingly) identifies what's causing the obsessive love is very reminiscent right now of where I am in my X Files watch, where Mulder walks into frame, already knowing what the mysterious mystery has to be, and he's right, and it's obnoxious.

I haaaaaaaaaaaaaaate how dumb and dizzy Dawn is right now.

siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh

With the eye make up and styled hair, MT looks more like her future Gossip Girl self.

Sooooooooo how come the magic letterman jacket doesn't worked on Willow and Buffy when they see him at The Bronze? Is it that they didn't have an unobstructed view of it yet, with Dawn dancing? Because we could still see it, including the letter. How exactly does this magic jacket work? Meh. I call shenanigans.

Come on, Dawn, with the girl fight antics, we know you're a better fighter than this now. WE SAW "GRAVE".

Buffy's really not a good counselor, you guys.

THERE IS WAY TOO MUCH PEDO ACTION IN THIS EPISODE. First we had Xander's (and Willow, lowkey) creepy "Daddy likey" about Dawn, and now Buffy's about to HAVE SEX WITH A MINOR WHY and then later Anya and Willow will be pedolusting too and SERIOUSLY WHY DID WE NEED TO HAVE THIS EPISODE WHY.

I HATE IT SO MUCH.

WHY IS THIS EPISODE.

We even have Buffy sabotaging her sister and it hurts WHY WHY WHY.

gross Buffy don't do this don't do it.

headcanon that's leftover Harriet the Spy sleuthing skills that enables Dawn to find the exact empty classroom where her sister is violating RJ.

maybe they didn't have sex. maybe they were just dry humping. maybe Buffy didn't rape a teenage boy. maybe maybe maybe this is marginally less gross than it is.

okay now the tone shifts again into pure silliness where Buffy thinks Dawn is under a spell but is in denial that she's under it, too. the episode becomes marginally more tolerable once this tone sets in

Also here we have the crack team of Xander and Spike, and Spike reacting and reacting and not speaking and it feels like some weird inside joke the writers had with each other, and I don't really get why? It's just random and weird.

I actually think it's kind of cute how excited Lance (RJ's brother) is about the little boxes of raisins.

"No Buffy for you! Leave quickly now."

And Willow and Anya don't fall for him til they see the back of his jacket HOW DOES THIS SPELL WORK.

I love that you can see Willow go "Wait, that's a boy" mid-head tilt

Everyone is acting like a sitcom character. They're funny actresses so they're working hard to sell it but this is just so TONALLY WEIRD FOR THE SHOW. I can't cry out of character, because love spell, but I haaaaaaaaaaaaaaate this.

Almost time for my favorite scene though!

But first we gotta split screen this, and show Anya robbing a bank.

"Aw man, now I gotta start all over. Hecate hates that."

FAVORITE SCENE TIME.

I read that the rocket launcher Buffy used to decimate The Judge was a one time use only thing, though, oops

Okay, time for the other good scene from this episode, after Buffy saves Dawn - not only the affirming stuff that no guy is worth Dawn's life, ever, but also the reminder that, even under a love spell, Buffy's love for her sister Dawn is still way stronger than that. "Dawn, I would give him to you in a second if I could - that's how much you're scaring me." Even under the love spell, Dawn is more important.

Spike's reflection is showing! Shenanigans.

It's kind of adorable that the way they "fight evil" this ep is stealing a boy's jacket and setting it on fire.

Daniel's Thoughts:

I don’t hate this episode as much as Zelda but I understand why she does.

Ugh, why is Spike moving in with Xander? Odd Couple?

Dawn’s hair is lighter. Looks good.

“Now go to your closet”….that’s bigger than most NYC apartments.

Hey a Dawn episode….

Dawn: “I mean Xander had a soul when he stood Anya up at the altar.” Sing it, girl.

Michelle T is good with the comic falling

Aww, Buffy stopped by! Being all apologetic about trying to kill her and all.

Buffy’s a good friend after all.

And Anya cut her hair!

See? It takes so little. Just Buffy calling Anya her friend makes her happy.

“Willow’s not very good with the practical strategies except when she’s evil. And Dawn – she’s not really good for anything.”

Ugh, this is the part that makes Z and I cringe….Dawn being embarrassed…

OMG. It’s that Garfunkel & Oates girl! She’s so young!

Aww, Buffy’s old uniform. It’s cute that they brought it back.

Oh man, it’s so embarrassing.

So Dawn’s getting all obsessive – yeah, it’s mystical and magic and all that but what about the rest of the girls at the school? No one seems to be getting all obsessive over RJ. Not the way they did with Xander when we…already kinda had this plot line.

It’s such a set-y school.

Hey Principal Wood!

Man, his dimples are the size of craters.

Hey! The Bronze! I missed that place.

See where slut-shaming gets you, Buffy?

OK, so one other girl seems obsessed….or just a teenage girl.

Seriously, what’s with the bangs, Buffy?

Ugh, I can’t even watch this lame-ass flirting Buffy is doing with this tool.

Tuesday, August 9, 2016

"Anya grants a young woman's wish, and the violent and deadly act of vengeance leaves everyone stunned. Buffy must put aside her feelings for her friend and take action before more people die. Meanwhile, flashbacks depict how Anya became a vengeance demon, and Willow returns to college."

Daniel's Thoughts:

Omg, an Anya episode! I guess she was prepping in that last ep she wasn’t in.

At least Xander seems worried about Anya. As does Buffy. Willow just kinda shrugs. Fuck Willow.

Oh man, my poor Anya. She’s gone a bit too far.

I love this fake language Anya & Olaf have made.

And all the bunnies in the house!

“You speak your mind and are annoying.”

So, in her human life, Anya liked bunnies and was charitable. I like that her rabbit-fear stems from a good time in her life ruined.

And here’s non-gelled Spike. Even in an Anya episode, we have to focus on crazy-Spike.

Ugh, First Buffy’s arm is on Spike. No touching! SHENANIGANS. They’re so inconsistent with the first and that’s one of the many problems with this big bad.

And here’s real Buffy.

I do like Willow is going back to college.

Tho, I’m surprised Willow even would say, “hey” to Anya when randomly seeing her. But, ya know, she wants to tell someone about getting back into college so I guess Anya will do.

Hey, does Willow actually seem happy for Anya? Weird.

You can see the blue screen getting ready to show something CGIish.

“Hide your babies and your beadwork!”

The dialogue in these flashbacks is just the best.

And I love the change in film when it focuses back on “Aud” and D’Hoffryn.

This history of Anya is so overdue. It’s so good.

Aww, Halfrek is so proud of her friend’s mass murder.

Anya looks really cute. I love her as a brunette.

Anya’s apartment is so full of antiques. I love it.

I guess? Willow is trying to help? She doesn’t understand Anya one bit – maybe if she tried earlier, this wouldn’t have happened.

Creepy CGI spider attacking Buffy is actually not bad.

Buffy only needs one sword, Xander.

“I have to kill Anya.” Whatever, such bullshit.

St. Petersburg! I was just there two weeks ago!

I have to admit, I’m enjoying Xander’s impassioned speech. I don’t agree with Buffy at all in this.

Though, she is right that she had to kill Angel and she did....eventually.

And I love so much that the fake message, “Kick his ass” from season 2 finally came back to bite Xander in the….well, ass, though Buffy never truly realizes it.

I really wish there was more of this Willow. I wish Drew Goddard wrote all the episodes. This is the Willow I can get behind. The one that cares more about herself and her immediate circle. Not the usual Willow who can’t let anyone else in.

“Buffy’s coming to kill you.” “She’s coming to try.”

Ugh, I don’t like this. I don’t like Buffy and Anya accepting that this is just “what we have to do”.

Oh man, the stab. When I first watched this, I thought that was it.

I love love love love that there’s a OMWF flashback that we didn’t see.

SHENANIGANS. I can’t believe how badly they got her hair in this flashback.

To be fair, her hair was all over the place in OMWF:

But the wig is still terrible and not even the same color.

Heheheheheh, and the prequel to the mustard song. “I’ll never get it out!”

And it’s such a fucking great song, too: “I’ll be his Mrs.”

It’s not just a great song, musically – but it shows just how much in love with Xander Anya was and why she was so incredibly hurt when Xander stood her up at the alter. And no one was getting that. No one at all.

“lame-ass made up maiden name.”

Oh that beautiful dress.

And then the jarring cut to Anya’s stabbed body. Just like the device used in “The Body” when Buffy imagines Joyce’s life being saved and then it jarringly cuts to her dead body.

“It’s like somebody slaughtered an Abercrombie and Fitch calendar” Heh.

And Anya is willing to die for this. Not just die, but have her soul taken.

And Hallie dies in such a horrible way.

“Never go for the kill when you can go for the pain.” Oh man, that’s such a good line.

And D’Hoffryn’s ominous prediction…. We all know how that turns out.

“What if I’m really nobody?” And that's Anya's real fear. I can't wait til they explore that in the rest of the season. /sarcasm

And I really hate this piece of direction here. Xander has the final word and he walks away. Anya should be the one who walks away.

Zelda's Thoughts:

You guys, I have exciting news. I just watched Magnolia for the first time, and I now understand the "respect the cruller and tame the doughnut" line in OMWF!

I'm so excited for this episode! So much awesomeness PLUS SINGING.

Dawn's little "do whatever anyone else does" instructions for Willow is absurd and doesn't seem that in character, but if we take it as a tonal set up for the theme of the episode, of Anya adopting new ideas and identities based on where and when she is, on whom she's with, then it makes a kind of forced sense.

But then Dawn says of Anya, "She should try acting like everyone else more," and it's tragic because even if the thesis is correct, that Anya builds her identity around other people, she's still the outcast, even among her "friends" (both demon and human, especially this season), no matter her attempts to assimilate.

I wonder why Anya stuck around to see the carnage this time. With both Ronnie the worm and Cordelia's wish in S3, she cleared out of the scene until she was pulled back in.

AHHHHHH THE FUN BEGINS. AUD AND OLAF AND ALL THE BUNNIES.

"Your logic is insane and happenstance, like that of a troll."

"You speak your mind and are annoying." See? She's always been this frank and she's always been a bit of an outcast. It has nothing to do with being a former or current vengeance demon.

Trivia: they intended to have the Swedish dialogue of Aud and Olaf dubbed in (comically out of sync), but then the actors were so kickass at actually learning it that they let them do it.

"But she'd see the sky when we were inside, and it'd make her so happy ... Now I see her."

So the First's agenda now is it wants Spike to ask Buffy for help - is that just to get him near her, where he can be activated with the song, and take her out of the equation?

Both Buffys have the same little braid in the front because (more trivia!) this was SMG's wedding hair and she wore it like this the entire filming of the ep, which was right before her wedding.

Willow's actually pretty friendly and happy to see Anya on campus. I'm assuming it's more just her general good cheer about things going well in Willowland.

"Run! Hide your babies and your beadwork!" "The troll is doing an Olaf impersonation!" "Hit him with fruits and various meats." I just love it all so much.

"I talk to them but they don't talk to me, except to say that 'your questions are irksome, and perhaps you should take your furs and your literal interpretations to the other side of the river.'"

"My name is Aud." // "Perhaps. But Anyanka is who you are." The second man to whom Anya attaches herself, the man from whom she receives her new identity.

Aw Halfrek. You'll be dead soon and we'll kind of miss you.

Did I brag yet about seeing Halfrek (Kali Rocha) in Richard III with Peter Dinklage? Because that's a thing I did.

The shift is immediate. With Hallie, Anya was conflicted, guilt-ridden, worried and sad. Willow shows up and Anya brittles up, turns defensive and defiant, believing what she did was right, calling out the hypocrisy of Willow coming after her.

"I am a vengeance demon! Do you understand that?" // "No." // "Try. They got what they deserved." The desperate way she clings to that line, willing it to be true.

I don't know why, but the way Xander says, so frustrated when he touches the webbing, "aw sticky!" is hilarious to me

Our Buffy is the best Buffy. She throws the axe into the tree and kills the spider demon.

Aw Anya caused the Russian Revolution. And is a communist.

"You're talking about work." // "I'm talking about life. Vengeance is what I do, Halfrek. I don't need anything else. Vengeance is what I am."

She's like Georges Seurat, except with vengeance instead of pointillism.

TIME FOR ANOTHER AMAZING SCENE. You guys, I remember watching this episode the first time and cheering so damn loudly when Buffy bring up Xander's "kick his ass" from the S2 finale, re: Angel. YES BUFFY YOU CALL HIM OUT. YOU ARE THE LAW AND THE LAW IS NOT MOCKED.

Although I do have a small issue. I get that no one remembers what Giles learned in The Wish, that the way to undo the spell is to break the Vengeance Demon's talisman, not stab her through the heart, but everyone knows after Hallie failed to die in Older and Far Away. Why is it all "I have to kill Anya," and not "I have to destroy her talisman and take her out of the vengeance game"?

Here it comes! "I killed Angel." [everything stops] "Do you even remember that? I would have given up everything I had to be with - I loved him more than I will ever love anything in this life, and I put a sword through his heart because I had to."

Drew Goddard was such a gift to the writing staff.

"Someone has to draw the line and that is always going to be me."

"You get down on me for cutting myself off, but in the end the Slayer is always cut off." More set up for the season arc that (though we don't know it) is leading us to Buffy's sharing of the power, activating all the Potentials. Uh I mean spoilers and stuff.

Willow is actually behaving waaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than usual regarding Anya this episode. First she was friendly to her, then she didn't tell Buffy until she was sure, trying to reason with Anya first herself (knowing what conclusion Buffy would reach once she knew), and telling Buffy she can't go along for the fight. And then summoning D'Hoffryn, trying to find a way around this problem, a way out, that won't shatter all her friends.

"Xander, you've always seen what you wanted to." BUT SOON YOU WILL LOSE ALL DEPTH PERCEPTION. I'm a terrible person.

"Are there any friends of yours left you haven't tried to kill?"

Because the writers are cruel beasts, Anya doesn't get to finish "because I'm a vengeance demon" before she gets stabbed through the heart. (and Buffy's to blame. She gives vengeance a bad name.) (I'm so sorry, you guys.)

I know Daniel called it out, but I have to second how bad Anya's OMWF wig is.

OH NO MUSTARD ON MY SHIRT. HOW COULD YOU SERVE MUSTARD.

So, since they used David Fury and Marti Noxon for that bit, does that mean it's canon that the Mustard Shirt Guy is in a relationship with the underwear-less Parking Meter Gal? And that they live near Xander?

I remember when I found out they were giving Anya a flashback ep, hoping against hope that meant a new song AND THEN IT DID LOOK WE GOT A NEW SONG. And she's delightful.

"It makes financial sense as well."

GOD WHEN SHE'S IN HER WEDDING DRESS. SO HAPPY. IT HURTS.

In the commentary they talk about how important it was that, even though she gets impaled in demon face, when we cut back to her post-flashback, she's in human face.

"You know better than that, Buffy. It takes a lot more to kill a demon."

"Stop trying to save me, Xander!"

Okay so I am kind of remembering an interpretation of this fight that Buffy wasn't deliberately fighting with her all, that she wasn't actually intending to kill Anya, but to get Anya to stop. I'm willing to accept this read. (found it! Snark Squad)

"But I'm not sure if anyone's bothered to find out what Anyanka herself really wants." Good fucking question.

"Actually, funny historical sidebar -"

This is a great shift for D'Hoffryn - even though he's a demon, he's been kind of the cute and cuddly funny father figure demon. But with this, we see a line clearly drawn. He is not our ally, and he never will be. BECAUSE HE - AS A VENGEANCE DEMON - WENT FOR THE PAIN.

Such a harsh death for Hallie.

"What if I'm really nobody?"

Ugh, such a good Anya episode, you guys. Such amazing writing, such a good performance, such good arc stuff. TOO BAD THAT'S ALL WE GET OF ANYA THIS SEASON except for comic background stuff and the horrible OOCness of her and everyone in Empty Places

I couldn't find a good place for this gif but I love it and let's end
on a high note, shall we?

Crossfire!

D: It’s weird how much I liked Willow in seasons 1-3 and how much my hatred has grown for her since.

Z: The timing works out for Anya’s entrance, doesn’t it?

D: Yeah, I guess it does.

Favorite Lines:

Daniel:"I talk to them but they don't talk to me, except to say that 'your questions are irksome, and perhaps you should take your furs and your literal interpretations to the other side of the river.'" - Anya

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

"Buffy begins a new job as school counselor at Sunnydale High. On her first day she encounters a troubled young girl who is convinced she is about to die."

Zelda's Thoughts:

wheeeeeeeeeeee. I remember really liking this episode when it aired. Let's see if it holds up.

The middle of Season Seven is where it's gonna get weird for me, recap-wise. I've rewatched the rest of the series a lot, but I think there are some eps in S7 I've seen only once or twice each, and that's super weird.

It's also gonna get weird when we start our next show. The only other TV shows I know to the extent I know Buffy are Firefly and the first 3.5 seasons of The West Wing, and we won't be doing either of those.

I'm talking about this too much.

"I should be home in bed, cuddling up to my insomnia." Aw Buffs.

Oh it's Sarah Hagan. Hi Sarah Hagan.

"I'm really tired of everyone being so insecure." Preach, Amanda. Don't write off boys being shits to girls as growing pains.

"Do you think I should pound on him some more?" Maybe this was our clue that Amanda was a potential.

It's a sad/sweet mood, the reveal that Willow's walk and talk with Xander is on the way to visit Tara's grave. And the moment with the stones - one of the few nods to Willow's Judaism - lovely and sad.

I'm glad Tara was buried in Sunnydale, where her true family can visit her grave, rather than wherever her fucked up blood kin reside. "Hey, it's me." Ow, it hurts.

Aw Cassie. I love Azura Skye. She has such an interesting energy.

"Because next Friday I'm gonna die." BUT NO BUFFY SAVES THE DAY ONLY ON TUESDAYS. I'm sorry you guys, that was horrible.

Do we think Buffy was supposed to be wearing a fancier shirt? Cassie is all "I really like that shirt" and I'm all "... looks like a wifebeater idk?"

You can get five for $10 at Hanes.

Wood may have gone to high school in Beverly Hills, but HE SPENT HIS CHILDHOOD IN NEW YORK. #spoilers

They have a ceramics class? With ... homework? Does Dawn have a take-home pottery wheel?

Though I do love the continuity of Dawn taking art classes.

Fun trivia note: apparently Willow asking if Buffy googled Cassie is the first time Google was used as a verb on television.

Another fun trivia note: it's no longer online, but Cassie's website was a real page you could visit, with her art and poetry all over it.

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer would break down this door." Zelda the blogger waits patiently to see if she can update her stats. She can't.

Cassie's speech ... so well-delivered. "There's a lot of stuff I'd like to do ... I'd love to backpack across the country, or I don't know, fall in love? But I won't. I just never will."

uhmmmm Buffy just an fyi, now that you're an employee of the school and therefore the government, maybe threatening children with physical violence is not the best plan of action? Just my five cents.

Oh what a surprise, the dickiest dick to dick around this episode is the ringleader of the red-robed dicks. Still counts as an evil reveal.

I can't believe these dumbasses have actual flaming torches set up in the library.

Heh. Spike punches douche, grabs his head in pain from the chip, punches douche, grabs head in pain.

"I failed her." // "Uh uh. No. You didn't, cuz you tried. You listened and you tried. She died cuz of her heart, not cuz of you. She was my friend because of you. I guess sometimes you can't help." // "So what then? What do you do when you know that? When you know that maybe you can't help?" You show up for work the next day, and you see who you can try to help next. This melancholy ambiguity feels much more like an Angel episode than a Buffy episode in that regard. very "if nothing we do matters, then all that matters is what we do."

Daniel's Thoughts:

Hey look, peaceful old lady in a coffin.

It’s weird that they’re staking ;) out a funeral home when most vamps are buried before they turn.

Hey! Buffy at her job! These three teen actors. One’s from that stupid Tim Allen show – one is from Reaper And our very first (live) potential, Amanda (spoilers!) [from Freaks and Geeks! - Z]

Hey! A real park! They’re both wearing a lot of clothes for fall.

Xander with the construction analogy.

Oh…it’s Tara’s grave…on some weird hillside…where the stones are SUPER far apart. How rich was Tara’s family? Or rather – who did bury Tara? Was it Buffy & Co? Where’d they get the money? Maybe Giles did it with the leftover money from his GIANT MANSION.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE that Willow puts stones on Tara’s grave. It’s a Jewish tradition and I’m glad the writers didn’t forget that Willow was born Jewish.

Hey, Cassie Newton. She’s got such a weird demeanor.

Oh Buffy – being unintentionally racist. “The hood?” Really, Buffy?

What an inappropriate shirt for work, Buffy.

Hey, look, people in a library!

Google – it’s a search engine! Man, this show feels so old sometimes.

That’s a really weird looking browser…

“I’m over you now, sweetie.” Heh, yeah. She’s gay now.

Doogie Houser fan fic..and then she starred with Doogie Houser on another show!

All these red herrings to this mystery.

Hey, it’s that guy who’s in everything now!

If he only has her on weekends and had her last weekend, why is she skulking outside?

Oddly, showing the men in red hoods burning a picture of Cassie is almost comforting – because it’s something that Buffy can stop.

Hey, there’s crazy pointless Spike. Yet – this is the first episode in the season with no Anya. Joy.

My sister’s your second choice?? Heh.

This is the second time one of the scoobs was all wiggy about revealing that Buffy is the slayer – but I mean, doesn’t everyone know by now? She got the class protector award, so.... [Yeah, but then half the class died at graduation, so ... - Z]

Ok, this one guy – he’s joking about a booby trap that he set up so no one would get in. Except that booby trap is a fucking arrow that could go off in someone’s skull, so…wth, dude.

Ugh, spike to the rescue.

So I mean, the chip’s not really strong enough to stop Spike from actually hurting humans. Maybe he’s gotten used to it? So pretty much Spike could have been killing – just…been hurting afterwards.

And Cassie dies anyway. Kinda a throwback to Joyce, even. This wasn’t something supernatural, so it wasn’t something Buffy could stop.

Favorite Lines:

Zelda: "You think I want this? You think I don't care? Believe me, I want to ... be here, do things. I want to graduate from high school, and I want to go to the stupid winter formal ... I have this friend, and it would be fun to go with him. Just to dance and hear lame music, to wear a silly dress and laugh and stuff. I'd like to go. There's a lot of stuff I'd like to do. I'd love to ice skate at Rockefeller Center. And I'd love to see my cousins grow up and see how they turn out cuz they're really mean and I think they're gonna be fat. I'd love to backpack across the country, or, I don't know, fall in love? But I won't. I just never will." - CassieDaniel: "You know, I'm really tired of everyone being so insecure." - Amanda, about bullies

Arc/Continuity Stuff:

First appearance: Amanda, Cassie

Recurring: Principal Wood

No Anya this episode

The little secret demon worshiping group with the female sacrifice is a shoutout to the frat house in Reptile Boy